There is conventionally known an image reading apparatus including a base section, and, within the base section, further including a reading unit, a movable body, a drive unit, and a wiring cable. The base section has a bottom wall, and a reading surface disposed opposite to the bottom wall. The reading unit is configured to read images from originals placed on the reading surface. The movable body supports the reading unit. The movable body is reciprocatingly movable in a first direction, parallel to the reading surface, between a base end position and a terminal end position. The drive unit is disposed at a position closer to the base end position than to the terminal end position, and adapted to drive the movable body. The wiring cable has one end portion fixed to the bottom wall at a position intermediate between the base end position and the terminal end position, and another end portion connected to the reading unit. The wiring cable has flexibility.
The wiring cable has a first elongated portion, a curved portion, and a second elongated portion. The first elongated portion extends from the one end portion of the wiring cable along the bottom wall toward the base end position. The curved portion extends from the first elongated portion and curves so as to approach the reading unit while changing its direction toward the terminal end position. The second elongated portion extends from the curved portion and extends toward the terminal end position to reach the other end portion of the wiring cable. In other words, the curved portion protrudes toward the drive unit in the first direction.
With this image reading apparatus, as the movable body moves in the first direction, the reading unit reads an image from an original placed on the reading surface while moving along with the movable body. At this time, the curved portion of the wiring cable moves in the first direction along with the movable body. In accordance with this movement, one of the first elongated portion and the second elongated portion becomes longer, while the other of the first elongated portion and the second elongated portion becomes shorter. Hence, the wiring cable follows the movement of the movable body without impeding the image reading operation performed by the reading unit.